Wire-form current control device



United States Patent Q ice WIRE-FORM CURRENT CONTROL DEVICE NicholasFrantz, Chicago, 111., assignor to Carter Parts Company, Skokie, 111., acorporation of Illinois Application April 19, 1957, Serial No. 653,900

10 Claims. (Cl. 179-96) This invention relates to electrical currentcontrol devices for making and breaking electrical connections in anelectrical circuit and particularly to wire-form jack switches.

A wire-form jack switch overcomes some of the undesirablecharacteristicsof the conventional type of jack switch, i.e. a jack having a sleevewith a shoulder against which are positioned a series of interposedinsumoving the limitation of the conventional mounting, the

area of application of jack switches is greatly expanded. One object ofthe invention is to provide a fwire-form jack switch wherein thewire-form parts may be reversed,

replaced and interchanged to provide varying circuitsame mountingcontrol combinations structure.

Another object of this invention isto provide such a jack switch whichmay be easily assembled by unskilled personnel. r

A further object is to provide a jack switch wherein the component partsare low cost items producible with relatively small tolerancevariations.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a wire-form jackswitch wherein the wire-form parts have a smooth action and camming rideon the mating plug with a very low distributed electrostatic capacitybetween conducting circuits.

Another object of this invention is to provide a jack switch which canbe constructed in very small sizes.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following descriptionand appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawingsforming a part of this specification wherein likereference charactersdesignate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings: I

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing one embodiment of the presentinvention with a section broken away on line 1--1 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the Fig. l embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 33 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view online 4-4 in Fig. 2.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in utilizing the 2,909,6 l5 Patented Oct. 20, 1959 2 nology employed herein is for the purpose ofdescription and not of limitation.

In the drawings there is shown an electrical jack com- ,prising a metalmounting sleeve which is provided with threads 12 for its securement ona suitable support structure (not shown). Sleeve 10 includes an annularshoulder 14 on which is received an outer insulator member 16 formed ofphenolic material. Outer insula- -tor member 16 is formed of fiatannular portion 18 and upstanding annular flange 20. Positioned on oneface of outer insulator member 16 within upstanding annular flange 20 isan-annular inner insulator member 22.

Inner insulator member 22 is provided with spaced projections 24, 26,28, 30, 32, 34 and 36 extending radially outward for a short distance.As best seen in Figs. 3 and 4 by sectional views of typical projection26, projections 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34 and 36 are undercut at 38, 40,42, 44, 46, 48 and 50 to define lip portions having a convex curvature.The depth 20 ,portions ofinner insulator 22 so as to allow for the ofsaid projections is less than the depth of the adjacent passage of wireelements.

Undercuts 42 and 46 receive the U-shaped sections 52 and 54 of legs 56and 58 which form parts of a wire spring element 60. Legs 56 and 58extend in parallel directions through openings or passageways 62 and 64formed by the inner surface of flange 20 and projections 42, 44, 46 and48 until they reach points 66. Thereafter they are arcuated and convergetoward one another and toward. the axis of sleeve 10, as at 68 and 70.At points 72, legs: 56; and 58 again extend in parallel directionsuntilthey reach points 74. At points 74, legs 56 and 58 areinterconnected by a U-shaped Web portion 76.

. P assageways 62, 64, 78 and 80 and undercuts 42 and 46 ,act to securethe U-shaped secions 52 and 54. This arrangement firmly anchors springelement 60 at two spaced points. v

Spring element 60 is a current-carrying element, and it is accordinglyformed with a terminal which consists of an upwardly turned section 82and reversely turned section 84.

The upper end portions of spring element 60 contact the Web portions 86of a second wire element 88.

Undercuts and receive the U-shaped sections 90 and 92 of legs 94 and 96which form parts of wire element 88. Legs 94 and 96 extend throughpassageways 78 and 98 in parallel directions and converge toward oneanother and diverge from the axis of sleeve 10. At

. points 100 legs 94 and 96 are interconnected by a straight itsapplication to the details of construction and arrange.

Web portion 86, which engages legs 56 and 58 of the first wire element.

Wire element 88 is also a current carrying element, and it isaccordingly formed with a terminal which consistsof an upwardly turnedsection 102 reversely turned section 104.

- Sleeve 10 carries a fiat, annular, metal disk 106 which is equippedwith a terminal-forming extension 108.

Members 10, 16, 22, 60, 88 and 106 are assembled as shown in Fig. l. Theassembly is secured by staking over the end of sleeve 10 at 110.

The finally assembled device is employed with a conventional plug (notshown). Insertion of the plug causes a circuit to be made between theplug and element and a circuit to be broken between elements 60 and 88i.e. by movement of legs 56 and 58 out of contact with web portion 86.The camming action of the plug on elements 60 and 88 is comparativelysmooth l so that the jack may be altered to accommodate differentcircuits by adding more elements and varying the placement of elements60 and 88. The elements added may have different configurations thanthose shown.

The various wire elements are firmly anchored at their opposite ends soas to be accurately positioned in the insulated members with little orno deviation from their designated locations with respect to the plugand adjacent wire elements. The components are low cost elements capableof quick assembly together by untrained personnel. Use of theillustrated wire elements enables construction of the jack in relativelysmall sizes, thereby increasing its range of use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an electrical jack, a metal tube having a shoulder intermediateits ends; a fiat annular outer insulator member having an upstandingannular flange; said outer insulator member surrounding the tube andpositioned on said shoulder; an annular inner insulator membersurrounding the tube and having a flat undersurface seated on the outerinsulator member within said flange; a plurality of spaced projectionsextending radially outward from the inner insulator member and in facialengagement with the inner surface of the flange; undersurface portionsof the projections being cut away to define lips; and spring elementshaving U-shaped portions extending into openings formed by thecooperation of the projections and flange and positioned beneath thelips of the projections.

2. In an electrical jack, an outer insulator member, an inner insulatormember positioned within the outer insulator member and having spacedprojections on the periphery of its surface; the projections beingundercut so as to define lips; and a spring element having a web portionin axial alignment with central openings in the insulator members; legsextending from said web portion into the openings between theprojections and then into the cut away portions beneath the lips; thelegs of said spring element being secured by the said projections andthe said outer insulator.

3. In an electrical jack, a flat annular outer insulator member havingan upstanding annular flange; an annular inner insulator memberpositioned on one face of the outer insulator and within its flange;spaced projections extending from the periphery of the inner insulatorand cooperating with the inner surface of the flange to formpassageways; undersurface portions of the projections being cut away todefine lips; a spring element having a web portion in axial alignmentwith central openings in the outer insulator member and the innerinsulator member; and legs extending from said web portion into thepassageways and then into the cut away portions beneath the lips; thelegs of said spring element being secured by the said projections andthe inner wall of said flange.

4. In an electrical jack, an annular outer insulator member having acentral opening therethrough and being provided wtih an upstandingannular flange; an annular inner insulator member having a centralopening therethrough and positioned Within said flange on one face ofthe outer insulator member with the openings in registry with eachother; spaced projections extending in radial directions from theperiphery of the inner insulator member and cooperating with the innersurface of the flange to form passageways; undersurface portions of theprojections being spaced from said one face to define a passageinterconnecting adjacent ones of the aforementioned passageways; and awire element having a web portion in axial alignment with the centralopenings in the insulator members, and legs extending from said webportion into spaced ones of the first passageways and then into theaforementioned interconnecting passages; the legs of said spring elementbeing secured by said projections and outer insulator member.

5. Current control means comprising a flat annular outer insulatormember having a central opening therethrough and being provided with anupstanding annular flange; an annular inner insulator member having acentral opening therethrough positioned within said flange on one faceof the outer insulator with said openings in registry; spacedprojections extending from the periphery of the inner insulator andcooperating with the inner surface of the flange to form passageways;undersurface portions of the projections being cut away to define lips;a wire element having a web portion in axial alignment with the centralopenings in the outer insulator member and the inner insulator member,and leg sections extending from said web portion into the passagewaysand then into the cut away portions beneath the lips; a second wireelement having spaced leg sections extending from other of thepassageways, and an interconnecting Web portion in pressure engagementwith the leg sections of the first wire element so as to be out ofcontact with the first spring element leg sections when the firstelement web portion is contacted by an actuator device inserted throughthe central openmgs.

6. Current control means comprising a flat annular outer insulatormember having an upstanding annular flange; an annular inner insulatormember positioned on one face of the outer insulator and within itsflange;

'spaced projections extending radially from the periphery of the innerinsulator and cooperating with the inner surface of the flange to formpassageways; undersurface portions of the projections being cut away soas to define lips of a convex contour and of a less thickness than thebody of the inner insulator; a spring element having a web portion inaxial alignment with central openings in the outer and inner insulatormembers; and legs extending from said web portion into the passagewaysand then into the cut away portions beneath the lips; the legs of saidspring element being secured by the said projections and the inner wallof said flange.

7. In an electrical jack adapted to receive a plug, an annular outerinsulator member having a central opening in its base and an upstandingannular flange, an annular inner insulator member positioned againstsaid base within said annular flange and having a central opening inregistry with the opening of said outer insulator member, spacedprojections extending in radial directions from the outer periphery ofthe inner insulator member and cooperating with the inner surface of theflange to form axially extending passageways, said projections beingspaced from said base to define passageways interconnecting adjacentones of the axially extending passageways, a wire element having a webportion in axial alignment with the central openings in said insulatormembers and legs extending from said Web portion into spaced ones ofsaid passageways and then into the associated interconnecting passages,the legs of said spring element being secured by said projections andsaid outer insulator member, and a second wire element having legsections mounted in other of said passageways formed between said innerand outer insulator members, the last named leg sections extending fromsuch insulator members and being interconnected by a web sectionextending across and normally engaging the legs of the first wireelement so as to be disengageable therefrom when the first wire elementis deflected by engagement by a plug inserted through said openings.

8. In an electrical jack adapted to receive a plug, a cup-shapedinsulator member having a central opening, an annular insulator memberseated in said cup-shaped insulator member with its opening in registrywith the opening of said cup-shaped member, said annular insulatormember having a plurality of radial projections abutting against theside wall and spaced from the bottom wall of said cup-shaped member, aplurality of generally U- shaped resilient contact elements each havingits leg portions extending respectively between said insulator membersand around different ones of said projections, at least one of saidcontact elements having its mid-portion positioned generally in axialalignment with said openings to be engageable by said plug when thelatter is inserted through said openings, said contact elements havingthe terminal end of one of their leg portions projecting from the saidinsulator members to function as electrical terminals, and a tubularmember extending through said insulator members and clamping suchmembers together.

9. In an electrical jack adapted to receive a plug, a cup-shapedinsulator member having a central opening, an annular insulator memberseated in said cup-shaped insulator member with its opening in registrywith the opening of said cup-shaped member, said annular insulatormember having a plurality of radial projections abutting against theside wall and spaced from the bottom wall of said cup-shaped member, agenerally U-shaped resilient contact element having its leg portionsextending between said insulator members and around dilferent ones ofsaid projections and having its mid-portion positioned generally inaxial alignment with said openings to be engageable by said plug whenthe latter is inserted through said openings, said contact elementhaving the terminal end of one of its leg portions projecting from saidinsulators to function as an electric terminal, an annular electricallyconductive ring positioned on the exposed side of said annular insulatormember out of contact with said contact element and having a groundterminal extending therefrom, and a tubular member extending throughsaid openings and clamping said insulator members and said annular ringtogether.

10. In an electrical jack adapted to receive a plug, a cup-shapedinsulator member having a central opening, an annular insulator memberseated in said cup-shaped insulator member with its opening in registrywith the opening of said cup-shaped member, said annular insulatormember having a plurality of radial projections abutting against theside wall and spaced from the bottom wall of said cup-shaped member, agenerally U-shaped resilient contact element having its leg portionsextending between said insulator members and around different ones ofsaid projections and having its mid-portion positioned generally inaxial alignment with said openings to be engageable by said plug whenthe latter is inserted through said openings, said contact elementhaving the terminal end of one of its leg portions projecting from saidinsulators to function as an electric terminal, and-a tubular memberextending through said openings and clamping said insulator memberstogether.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,530,640 Batchelder Mar. 24, 1925 1,620,755 Carter Mar. 15, 19272,022,669 Keefe Dec. 3, 1935 2,703,393 Bird Mar. 1, 1955 2,803,717 SandaAug. 20, 1957

